Lines of research: Exoplanetary Systems & Solar System (SEYSS)

Exoplanetary Systems & Solar System (SEYSS)

The area of planetary and solar systems involves several research groups working on Exoplanets, Solar System and Cultural Astronomy. Our main objectives are:

  • The detection and characterization of giant and rocky planets around nearby stars using the most advanced instruments (CARMENES, ESPRESSO, HARPS Norte y Sur, SONG, LCO, MUSCAT2) and space missions (CoRoT, Kepler K2, CHEOPS, TESS and PLATO). The group is particularly interested in the study of terrestrial planets in the habitable zone of their host stars where water can be in liquid form.
  • The characterization of the atmospheres of planets to know their structure and composition, both by transits and direct imaging, using ground-based telescopes such as GTC and space missions such as CHEOPS.
  • Investigate the formation of exoplanet systems by studying the chemical composition of planet host stars, and the dynamical evolution of exoplanets at their early stages of formation.
  • Study the physical properties of different families of minor bodies of the Solar System (asteroids, comets, trans-neptunian objects, etc.) to understand the origin and evolution of Solar System with GTC and space missions such as OSIRIS-REx.
  • The study of ancient cosmologies through cultural astronomy and the defense of cultural heritage through the astronomy.
  • Publication
    Keeping Ma’at: An astronomical approach to the orientation of the temples in ancient Egypt
    For various reasons, Archaeoastronomy has not been one of the favourite disciplines of the Egyptologists in the past. Probably because of that, important...
  • Publication
    Kepler Object of Interest Network. I. First results combining ground- and space-based observations of Kepler systems with transit timing variations
    During its four years of photometric observations, the Kepler space telescope detected thousands of exoplanets and exoplanet candidates. One of Kepler's...
  • Publication
    Kepler Object of Interest Network. II. Photodynamical modelling of Kepler-9 over 8 years of transit observations
    Context. The Kepler Object of Interest Network (KOINet) is a multi-site network of telescopes around the globe organised to follow up transiting planet...
  • Publication
    Kepler-423b: a half-Jupiter mass planet transiting a very old solar-like star
    We report the spectroscopic confirmation of the Kepler object of interest KOI-183.01 (Kepler-423b), a half-Jupiter mass planet transiting an old solar-like star...
  • Publication
    Kepler-432 b: a massive warm Jupiter in a 52-day eccentric orbit transiting a giant star
    We study the Kepler object Kepler-432, an evolved star ascending the red giant branch. By deriving precise radial velocities from multi-epoch high-resolution...
  • Publication
    Kepler-503b: An Object at the Hydrogen Burning Mass Limit Orbiting a Subgiant Star
    Using spectroscopic radial velocities with the Apache Point Observatory Galaxy Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) instrument and Gaia distance estimates, we...
  • Publication
    Kepler-730: A Hot Jupiter System with a Close-in, Transiting, Earth-sized Planet
    Kepler-730 is a planetary system hosting a statistically validated hot Jupiter in a 6.49 day orbit and an additional transiting candidate in a 2.85 day orbit...
  • Publication
    Kepler-77b: a very low albedo, Saturn-mass transiting planet around a metal-rich solar-like star⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
    We report the discovery of Kepler-77b (alias KOI-127.01), a Saturn-mass transiting planet in a 3.6-day orbit around a metal-rich solar-like star. We combined...
  • Publication
    Kilonova Seekers: the GOTO project for real-time citizen science in time-domain astrophysics
    Time-domain astrophysics continues to grow rapidly, with the inception of new surveys drastically increasing data volumes. Democratized, distributed approaches...